The invention relates to a method and a system as stated in the preamble of the attached claim 1 and 6 respectively, primarily for time-of-use vending for electronic communication equipment, especially cellular telephones.

Background of the invention Some users of cellular telephones prepay for their use, by means of a certain programmed time-of-use in a central computer belonging to the telephone system provider. When the prepaid time is spent, or about to run out, it has to be recharged by buying a so-called"cash-card", where a new code (loading code) can be revealed. The code is used to give a corresponding increase in the account having the corresponding telephone number as at the telephone system provider.

Presently, cash card vending is insecure. As they have considerable value, the cards have to be stored securely at a vending location. Both during transport and in storage such cards are vulnerable to theft.

Moreover, each telephone system provider issues a different cash card, often using different vending distributors. This has resulted in difficulties with regard to obtain cash cards for all providers anywhere in a country. Moreover, some vending locations have limited opening hours, which further limits availability.

Object of the invention The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a method and a system for time-of- use vending, or similarly, time-of-calling vending for individual equipment, which, based on codes installed through a cellular telephone to a network provider, gives the current cellular telephone access to a certain time-of-use. This system should reduce or eliminate the risk of misuse and theft.

The invention The invention is stated in claims 1 and 6, which describe an entirely secure method and system for accomplishing the object stated above. In claim 12 there is stated an alternative embodiment of the system.

Further details of the invention will appear from the other claims 2 to 5, and 7 to 11 and the following description a preferred embodiment.

The most important advantage of the method and the system, is the increased security against misuse and the corresponding reduction of loss. Furthermore, they offer the possibility

for flexible vending, wherein a device can be programmed for cash card vending for an arbitrary number of telephone system providers.

The system can be developed to provide cash card vending where the cards have arbitrarily values. It can also be adapted for use in some other situations, for example to pay for other types of prepaid services, such as tickets, code cards for power supply etc.

Example The invention is described further in the following, by reference to the preferred example, i. e. cash card vending for cellular telephones, and by referring to the accompanying drawings where: Fig. 1 shows the main elements of the system schematically; Fig. 2 shows a block diagram illustrating a cash card vending machine and its co-operation with an external central server; Fig. 3 shows a flow chart describing the individual steps in the process by use of the equipment in Fig. 1 and 2; while Fig. 4 shows an illustration of several cash card vending machines, such that they are connected to the central server (s), and further linked to the main centre of the total system.

Fig. 1 shows several variants of activating cards 11, that is, cards provided with a readable unique code adapted to a telephone system provider and values. The readable code can be a bar code, which can be read optically, or a corresponding electronic code, which can be read in an electronic card reader. The activating cards 11 are intended to be activated electronically in an activator 12 placed near a vending terminal 13, for example in a shop."Activating"means that the activating card has an electronic card"applied"for the paid amount, for time-of-calling with the chosen telephone system provider. It can either be an"on/off'-function containing a message regarding payment of one certain amount, or a code describing the size of the amount, and the possibility of buying of time-of-calling of an arbitrary amount.

The activator 12 is designed to make such an activation of an inserted card. To ensure that security of the activator is maintained, it is arranged in the present case such that it has to be supplied daily or at a certain period of time, with a code structure that a local system responsible person generates with a master card, that is, an electronic identity card, belonging to the person concerned. Additionally, every salesman must have a correspondingly individual salesman card to be legitimate and to open the activator 12.

Fig. 1 also schematically shows a cash card vending machine 14, with a card reader 15, connected to an external central server 17 that generates a cash card 19. These elements will be described further in the following.

Fig. 2 illustrates a system according to the invention in the shape of a block diagram. There is shown a cash card vending machine 14 provided with a card reader 15, able to read inserted activating cards 11, with a communication unit 16 (modem) connecting the card machine to the external central server 17, and a printer 18 receiving a control signal and code information for the cash card from the communication unit/central processor 16 of the machine.

The central server 17 assigns each card machine 14 if necessary with a series of loading codes for cash cards or codes for other possible prepaid services from one or more telephone system providers, telephone companies respectively.

The cash cards 19 are printed from the cash card vending machine printer 18 immediately after the customer has inserted an activating card. In this way there will not be any need for transport and storage of cash cards in the way they are today. Consequently, the risk of theft and other loss is reduced. A user can chose to get more cash cards at once, for example before a holiday or travel. The unused cash cards can be kept in the same way and with the same security as money.

The cash cards 19 printed out therefore have the code which is to be transferred to the telephone system provider to credit the time-of-calling. At the same time, it will be used as a receipt and/or accountancy enclosure if that is wanted.

The cash card vending machine 14 can be provided with a sensor giving signals to the central server 17 at a door opening and with an alarm. Security is further increased if the cash card vending machine registers and stores information for all transactions and transfers them to the central server 17. Information with regard to status, number of cards vended, card values, telephone system providers, salesmen, and other relevant information is registered in the data central 17 for further processing and distribution. Information of vending for every individual cash card vending machine 14 and for every telephone system provider will therefore always be easily accessible.

The individual elements in this system can be designed on the basis of prior art. Elements not shown in the schematic illustrations belong to prior art, such as mechanisms for handling the cards, alarm installation, power supply and the like.

In Fig. 3 a flow chart is shown explaining an example of the individual steps of operation and function of the system.

Fig. 4 shows a system having several cash card vending machines. Two cash card vending machines 22 and 23 are operating under a central server 24 and another cash card vending

machine 25 is operating under a central server 26. Accordingly, each central server can operate a number of cash card vending machines. All central servers 24 and 26 will be connected to a main central 27. This again will be connected to one ore more operating companies (not shown).

The cash card vending machines 14 can be located at places where cash card vending is of interest, for example in shops, kiosks, cafes, transport terminals (such as railway stations and airports), petrol stations, banks and post offices etc. The individual telephone service providers wanting to sell their cards in this way then will make an agreement with the individual vending location or chain-stores on provision and remaining vending conditions and moreover, an agreement related to the management company for the current network of cash card vending machines.

The vending location only needs to store worthless and risk free activating cards as a basis for producing cash cards. In the cash card vending machines 14 there exists no cash cards of value, only a roll of blank paper for the printing of cash cards.

Modifications A modification of the invention described in the example is that the activating cards for a telephone system provider do not have predetermined values. The customer asks for a cash card of x NOK. This amount is registered by the salesman at the same time as the card is activated in the activator. The cash card vending machine registers this, and prints a cash card. Information of sold time-of-calling is sent by the card machine via the central server to the telephone system provider, in connection with the loading code printed on the cash card. In this case the loading code can be brought out and at the same time registration of the amount online at the operating company, or a message can be sent back to the operating company about the size of the value paid for the given loading code already downloaded in the central server. The election of the alternatives will be decided with regard to security and programming.

There is a further simplified embodiment where the information on the activating card is transferred directly to a cash card vending machine immediately near a vending terminal. In this case, the activating card can be omitted as a physical element for the user to hand over, instead it is an electronic element not being physical outside the equipment near the cash card vending machine. The activator and the cash card vending machine can here be integrated to a cash card terminal.

The system can also have a variant, where the central server (17) is arranged for transfer of a loading code directly to a service provider for crediting the customer account.